Diagnostic Features of Acute Chagas Myocarditis with Sudden Death in a Family of Boxer Dogs.
Ontology highlight
ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Vitt JP
PROVIDER: S-EPMC5084738 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
Similar Datasets
Project description:Two boxer dogs from the same litter were presented at 3 months of age for urinary and fecal incontinence. Both dogs had an abnormal tail consisting of a small stump, an atonic anal sphincter, and absent perineal reflex and sensation. Neurological evaluation was indicative of a lesion of the cauda equina or sacral spinal cord. Radiology and CT scan of the spine displayed similar findings in the two dogs that were indicative of sacral agenesis. Indeed, they had 6 lumbar vertebrae followed by a lumbosacral transitional vertebra, lacking a complete spinous process, and a hypoplastic vertebra carrying 2 hypoplastic sacral transverse processes as the only remnant of the sacral bone. Caudal vertebrae were absent in one of the dogs. On MRI, one dog had a dural sac occupying the entire spinal canal and ending in a subfascial fat structure. In the other dog, the dural sac finished in an extracanalar, subfascial, well-defined cystic structure, communicating with the subarachnoid space, and consistent with a meningocele. Sacral agenesis-that is the partial or complete absence of the sacral bones-is a neural tube defect occasionally reported in humans with spina bifida occulta. Sacral agenesis has been described in human and veterinary medicine in association with conditions such as caudal regression syndrome, perosomus elumbis, and Currarino syndrome. These neural tube defects are caused by genetic and/or environmental factors. Despite thorough genetic investigation, no candidate variants in genes with known functional impact on bone development or sacral development could be found in the affected dogs. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first report describing similar sacral agenesis in two related boxer dogs.
| S-EPMC10248164 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundMyocarditis is a known cause of sudden cardiac death of the athlete. The impact of direct chest trauma in at-risk sports or activities in patients with a history of myocarditis has never been demonstrated or studied. We report herein two cases of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia secondary to non-penetrating blunt chest trauma while playing contact sports.Case summaryThe first patient, a 26-year-old man described a brief loss of consciousness after having received blunt impact to the chest (typical intensity) while playing a rugby match. The loss of consciousness was total and proceeded by rapid and regular palpitations. He had a history of viral myocarditis 10 years prior with a fibrotic sequalae in the inferolateral wall on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (left ventricular ejection fraction 71%). Right apical ventricular pacing induced a sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia reproducing the patient's symptoms. A subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator was implanted. The second patient is a 22-year-old professional rugby player with no known notable history. During a match, a direct blow to the chest wall was followed by a cardiac arrest. A ventricular fibrillation was cardioverted to pulseless electrical activity. Patient died despite cardiopulmonary resuscitation. An autopsy identified a myocardial sequela of fibrosis with no acute inflammatory remodelling compatible with a previous myocarditis.DiscussionMyocarditis may increase the risk of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias caused by blunt impact to the chest, particularly in contact sports. Screening and prevention measures should be considered to reduce this risk.
| S-EPMC8185879 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Myocarditis is a rare cause of sudden death in childhood. We describe the sudden death of a child from viral myocarditis, which we demonstrate was likely caused by an uncontrolled inflammatory response to a disseminated adenovirus serotype 3 infection originating in the tonsil.
| S-EPMC2815630 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Two cases of high-grade glioma comprising sheets of oligodendroglial cells multifocally disrupted by regions of remarkable neuronal differentiation are described. These tumours morphologically resemble 'oligodendroglioma with ganglioglioma-like maturation', a rare tumour of man, but appear to be phenotypically more aggressive. Neuronal markers (synaptophysin, neuron-specific enolase and βIII-tubulin) effectively highlight neuronal elements within these tumours and could potentially help to further investigate the prevalence and biological significance of neuronal differentiation in canine oligodendroglioma.
| S-EPMC10923238 | biostudies-literature
Project description:A 70-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital complaining of shortness of breath. She was diagnosed with acute decompensated heart failure due to left ventricular dysfunction. Her symptoms began to improve with standard therapy for heart failure with diuretics, noninvasive pressure ventilation, and inotropes, but paroxysmal atrial fibrillation and premature ventricular contractions (PVCs) occurred. After treatment with amiodarone, the number of PVCs decreased, and the left ventricular wall motion gradually improved. However, on day 28, ventricular fibrillation and cardiopulmonary arrest occurred suddenly, and she could not be resuscitated. She was diagnosed with giant cell myocarditis via an autopsy. The autopsy revealed diffuse inflammatory cells that comprised giant cells and eosinophils as well as cellular degeneration and necrosis. <Learning objective: We herein report a case of sudden cardiac death due to giant cell myocarditis diagnosed at an autopsy.>.
| S-EPMC7283290 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BACKGROUND:Non-Hodgkin lymphoma in humans is associated with environmental chemical exposures, and risk is enhanced by genetic variants in glutathione S-transferases (GST) enzymes. OBJECTIVE:We hypothesized that boxer dogs, a breed at risk for lymphoma, would have a higher prevalence of GST variants with predicted low activity, and greater accumulated DNA damage, compared to other breeds. We also hypothesized that lymphoma in boxers would be associated with specific environmental exposures and a higher prevalence of canine GST variants. ANIMALS:Fifty-four healthy boxers and 56 age-matched nonboxer controls; 63 boxers with lymphoma and 89 unaffected boxers ?10?years old. METHODS:We resequenced variant loci in canine GSTT1, GSTT5, GSTM1, and GSTP1 and compared endogenous DNA damage in peripheral leukocytes of boxers and nonboxers using the comet assay. We also compared GST variants and questionnaire-based environmental exposures in boxers with and without lymphoma. RESULTS:Endogenous DNA damage did not differ between boxers and nonboxers. Boxers with lymphoma were more likely to live within 10 miles of a nuclear power plant and within 2 miles of a chemical supplier or crematorium. Lymphoma risk was not modulated by known canine GST variants. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE:Proximity to nuclear power plants, chemical suppliers, and crematoria were significant risk factors for lymphoma in this population of boxers. These results support the hypothesis that aggregate exposures to environmental chemicals and industrial waste may contribute to lymphoma risk in dogs.
| S-EPMC7517848 | biostudies-literature
Project description:These samples include exome sequences of samples from patients who suffered Sudden Unexplained Death in Epilepsy
| EGAS00001000352 | EGA
Project description:Age-related differences in dog sleep and the age at which dogs reach adulthood as indexed by sleep electrophysiology are unknown. We assessed, in (1) a Juvenile sample (n = 60) of 2-14-month-old dogs (weight range: 4-68 kg), associations between age, sleep macrostructure, and non-rapid eye movement (NREM) EEG power spectrum, whether weight moderates associations, and (2) an extended sample (n = 91) of 2-30-months-old dogs, when sleep parameters stabilise. In Juvenile dogs, age was positively associated with time in drowsiness between 2 and 8 months, and negatively with time in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep between 2 and 6 months. Age was negatively associated with delta and positively with theta and alpha power activity, between 8 and 14 months. Older dogs exhibited greater sigma and beta power activity. Larger, > 8-month-old dogs had less delta and more alpha and beta activity. In extended sample, descriptive data suggest age-related power spectrum differences do not stabilise by 14 months. Drowsiness, REM, and delta power findings are consistent with prior results. Sleep electrophysiology is a promising index of dog neurodevelopment; some parameters stabilise in adolescence and some later than one year. Determination of the effect of weight and timing of power spectrum stabilisation needs further inquiry. The dog central nervous system is not fully mature by 12 months of age.
| S-EPMC8611005 | biostudies-literature
Project description: Not available
| S-EPMC8792714 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundAfter sudden death occurs in the young, first-degree family members should undergo clinical screening for occult cardiac disease, but the diagnostic yield from screening is not well-defined in the United States.ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to determine the clinical predictors of cardiac diagnosis in children referred for evaluation following a sudden death in the family.MethodsPatients referred for a family history of sudden death were evaluated in a retrospective review from a tertiary pediatric referral center.ResultsAmong 419 pediatric relatives of 256 decedents, 27% of patients were diagnosed with a disease or had a clinical finding of uncertain significance. Patients were diagnosed with heritable cardiac disease in 39 cases (9.3%). Nonheritable cardiac disease was diagnosed in another 5.5% of patients. Clinical findings of uncertain significance were present in 52 patients (12.4%), including abnormal electrophysiological test results (41 of 52) or imaging test results (11 of 52). Among patients diagnosed with a heritable cardiac disease, the nearest affected relative was almost always a first-degree relative (37 of 39, 95%). The strongest predictors for a successful diagnosis in the patient were an abnormal electrocardiogram and a first-degree relationship to the nearest affected relative (odds ratios: 24.2 and 18.8, respectively).ConclusionsChildren referred for a family history of sudden death receive cardiac disease diagnoses (14%), but clinical findings of uncertain significance increase the challenge of clinical management. The importance of a diagnosis in first-degree affected relatives supports the clinical practice of testing intervening family members first when patients are second- or higher-degree relatives to the decedent.
| S-EPMC6690372 | biostudies-literature